Survey of accountants reveals PwC is Best Overall Firm to Work For and Most Prestigious; "busy season" brings heavy workloads and challenges
NEW YORK, April 15, 2025 -- Vault, the leader in data-driven employer rankings and verified employee reviews, today released its 2026 ranking of the Best Overall Accounting Firms to Work For. Vault also ranks the Most Prestigious Accounting Firms, Best Accounting Firms by Employment Factor, and Best Accounting Firms by Practice Area. Together, these rankings provide a comprehensive snapshot of the U.S. public accounting landscape.
To obtain data for the rankings, Vault distributed a survey to U.S. accountants. More than 10,000 accountants at all levels participated between December 2024 and February 2025. Survey respondents rated their firms across several categories, including compensation, culture, hours, training, work/life balance, and wellness. Accountants were also asked to rate firms, excluding their own, based on perceived prestige overall and in three major practice areas (Audit & Assurance, Forensic, and Tax).
According to Eric Stutzke, SVP & General Manager of Vault, "In addition to revealing which firms are well-rated by their employees and are impressive names to have on a resume, Vault's survey provides us with key insights into what accountants like and dislike about their jobs. We know that stressful 'busy seasons' take their toll on accountants, but firms can take steps to retain employees by encouraging supportive team cultures and providing ample learning and development opportunities. Employee retention is particularly important right now for accounting firms as the U.S. continues to face a shortage of CPAs."
Key findings from Vault's survey of accountants and the rankings include:
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) LLP is the Best Overall Accounting Firm to Work For. For the 13th year in a row, PwC (which has more than 70 U.S. offices) is the Best Overall Accounting Firm to Work For. When asked about standout positive aspects of their jobs, employees at PwC pointed out the opportunities to work with large, well-known clients (the firm provides services to 89% of the Fortune 500). Survey-takers from PwC also mention the firm's support for career development opportunities, team events, and cutting-edge technology. Ernst & Young (EY) LLP (which has more than 80 U.S. offices) takes the No. 2 spot and KPMG LLP (which has more than 70 U.S. offices) is No. 3.
PwC is also the Most Prestigious Accounting Firm. In the overall prestige rankings, PwC was No. 1, Deloitte LLP (which boasts more than 130 U.S. offices) was No. 2, and EY was No. 3. PwC is also the No. 1 firm in all three major practice areas (Audit & Assurance, Forensic, and Tax). Together, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, and EY are known as the "Big 4" accounting firms as they are the world's largest firms by revenue and workforce.
Firms that are smaller than the "Big 4" can offer internal mobility and opportunities to connect with leaders. For example, Plante Moran, which is headquartered in Southfield, MI and has a strong presence in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions, is the No. 1 firm in Internal Mobility, Promotion Policy, and Relationships with Managers.
"Busy season" remains challenging. When asked about the negative aspects of their job, public accountants across all firms mentioned pressures during the annual "busy season," when accountants experience a spike in their workload because of financial reporting deadlines. When asked about positive aspects, accountants were likely to mention supportive colleagues and opportunities to learn new skills.
The Top 10 Overall Accounting Firms to Work For for 2026:
- PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) LLP
- Ernst & Young LLP (EY)
- KPMG LLP
- Plante Moran
- BDO USA, P.C.
- CohnReznick LLP
- Baker Tilly
- RSM US LLP
- PKF O'Connor Davies
- CBIZ
View all the Vault Accounting Rankings.
About Vault
Vault is the leader in career research, exploration, and discovery for professionals and students. Through our proprietary data-driven Vault rankings, verified employee and intern reviews, and extensive network spanning hundreds of campuses and universities, we have been the trusted provider of career intelligence solutions for emerging talent for over two decades. Our exclusive company rankings, in-depth employer profiles, and valuable employee and intern reviews encompass a wide range of industries, including Law, Banking, Accounting, Consulting, and the top Internship programs. Vault is a business unit of Infobase, a leading provider of information literacy solutions empowering academic and professional success.
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